8 



WW 




. ? _•; 



:he soils of st. marts county, md. 

SHOWING THE RELATIONSHIPS OF 
THE GEOLOGY TO THE SOILS 



BY 

JAY ALLAN BONSTEEL 



A DISSERTATION 

SUBMITTED TO THE BOARD OF UNIVERSITY STUDIES OF THE JOHNS 

HOPKINS UNIVERSITY, IN CONFORMITY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS 

FOR THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY 

JUNE, 1901 




Baltimore 
December, 1905 




rte_ 3 J ff 
Book l^qS 

PRESENT!-:!") I IV 



") 



THE SOILS OF ST. MARY'S COUNTY, MD. 

SHOWING THE RELATIONSHIPS OF 
THE GEOLOGY TO THE SOILS 



BY 
JAY ALLAN BONSTEEL 



A DISSERTATION 

SUBMITTED TO THE BOARD OF UNIVERSITY STUDIES OF THE JOHNS 

HOPKINS UNIVERSITY, IN CONFORMITY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS 

FOR THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY 

JUNE, 1901 



Baltimore 
December, 1905 






.f 



Gift 
Johns Hopk'-», Uhiv. 

15 '06 



CONTENTS. 



Page. 

Geography 125 

History - 125 

Physical geography and geology - 126 

Soils -- - - -- 127 

Norfolk loam 127 

Leonardtown loam 128 

Susquehanna gravel . . . 131 

Windsor sand . 132 

Norfolk sand - - 132 

Sassafras loam - - - 134 

Sassafras sandy loam 134 

Meadow 136 

Swamp . . . . . . .'. 137 

Conditions of agriculture. -- - 138 

Transportation . . - - - 143 

Climate - 144 



ILLUSTRATIONS. 



TEXT FIGURES. 



Fig. 13. Diagrammatic section from upland to tide level, showing outcrop- 
ping soil formations and terraces . . - . 126 

14. Meadow in foreground, terrace of Leonardtown loam, and Norfolk 

loam and Windsor sand in background 126 

15. Leonardtown loam, with Norfolk loam and Windsor sand in back- 

ground .... ... . - 129 

16. Leonardtown loam, with narrow band of Susquehanna gravel over- 

lying Norfolk sand - 130 

MAP. 

Soil map, St. Mary County, Md Face page 145 

ii 



S. 51 



U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, 

DIVISION OF SOILS. 

MILTON WHITNEY, Chief. 



SOIL SURVEY OF ST. MARY COUNTY, MI). 



JAY A. BONSTEEL. 



[Reprinted from the Report on Tield Operations of the Division of 
Soils for 1900.] 



SOIL SURVEY OF ST. MARY COUNTY, MD. 

By JAY A. BONSTEEL. 
GEOGRAPHY. 

St. Mary County comprises about 360 square miles of territory, 
bounded on the northeast by the Patuxent River, on the east by 
Chesapeake Bay, on the south and southwest by the Potomac River, 
and on the west by Wicomico River and Budds Creek. All of these 
waters except Budds Creek are either salt or brackish, and in the 
Patuxent and Potomac rivers the tides rise to points far beyond the 
boundaries of the county. On the north, for a distance of about 25 
miles, the boundary separating St. Mary from Charles County is an 
irregular land line, except along the northeastern portion, where Indian 
Creek forms the boundary. 

St. Margaret, Bullock, St. Catherine, Blackistone, Heron, and St. 
George islands lie within the limits of the county, since the jurisdic- 
tion of Maryland extends to the water's edge along the Virginia shore 
of the Potomac instead of running only to the middle of the river. 
The longest streams of St. Mary County, especially in the southern 
portion, are tributary to the Potomac River and to indenting bays. 
The chief streams are Chaptico Creek, St. Clements Creek, Mcintosh 
Run, and St. Mary River. None of these streams are navigable. 

The southern coast of the county is indented by numerous embay - 
ments. Notable among these are Chaptico Bay, St. Clement Bay, 
Breton Bay, and the estuary and mouth of St. Mary River. The 
county lies between the parallels of 38° and of 38° 30' north latitude 
and between the meridians of 76° 20' and 76° 5o' west from Greenwich. 
It is irregular in outline, constituting a large peninsula stretching 
southeastward between the waters named. The county is the most 
southern of the Maryland counties occupying the western shore of 
Chesapeake Bay. 

HISTORY. 

St. Mary County was the scene of the earliest permanent coloniza- 
tion within the present limits of the State of Maryland, with the 
exception of a small settlement on Kent Island. In the year 1634 
Lord Baltimore's first colonists were sent out, and after touching at 
Jamestown, Va., they sailed up the Chesapeake Bay to the mouth of 

125 



126 FIELD OPERATIONS OF THE DIVISION OF SOILS, 1900. 

the Potomac River. Proceeding up this stream, they landed on St. 
Clements (now Blackistone) Island, where Governor Calvert took 
formal possession of Lord Baltimore's grant. This, the first author- 
ized settlement in the State of Maryland, was made in what is now 



fT 

90 
60 
30 




Fig. 13.— Diagrammatic section from upland to tide level, showing outcropping soil formations 
and terraces: M, Meadows; Ssl, Sassafras sandy loam; SI, Sassafras loam; Ns, Norfolk sand; 
Sg, Susquehanna gravel; LI, Leonardtown loam; Nl, Norfolk loam. 

St. Mary County. St. Mary City, formerly an Indian village, was 
the first permanent settlement made, and it was the capital of this 
colony from the time of its settlement until October, 1(594. 

PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY AND GEOLOGY. 

St. Mary County lies wholly within the Coastal Plain area of Mary- 
land. It consists of an interior upland division, rising from 90 to 200 





^-^<..-«^»-^-a-»* ~:, 






aggaij 



.= *£ 



Fig. 14.— Meadow in foreground terrace of Leonardtown loam, with Norfolk loam and Windsor 

sand in background. 

feet above sea level, and of a low-lying foreland border varying from 
15 to 45 feet above sea level. The county is very much indented by 
large estuaries or bays, particularly on the Potomac side. The 



SOIL SURVEY OF ST. MARY COUNTY, MD. 



127 



streams of any length flow into the Potomac drainage system, while 
only steep-walled streams of short length are tributary to the 
Patuxent. 

As in Calvert County, the basal skeleton of St. Mary County is built 
up of unconsolidated strata, only Neocene formations being found in 
St. Mary. The materials composing these strata are the same as in 
Calvert County, even in respect to the marl beds. In the same way 
the later Pleistocene deposits are far more directly concerned in the 
formation of soil types than are the older strata, and the correlation 
of soil types with geological formations given in considerable detail 
for Calvert County also applies to St. Mary. An ideal section show- 
ing the arrangement of soils is illustrated in fig. 13. 

The chief geological difference between the two counties lies in the 
fact that in St. Mary the Eocene strata do not reach the surface, 
while in Calvert they do, and the Noraini formation is much more 
widely developed in southern St. Mary than in Calvert. The shell 
marls are the onty ones present in large quantities in St. Mary 
County. Fig. 14 gives an idea of the arrangement and relative posi- 
tion of the principal types of soils. 

SOILS. 

The soils have approximately the following areas : 
Areas of the different soils. 



Soils. 


Acres. 


Per cent. 


Soils. 


Acres. 


Per cent. 




95,500 
54,200 
27,500 
17,500 
16,200 


41 
23 
12 

7 
7 




8,500 
7,350 
3,450 
2,200 


4 




Susquehanna gravel 


3 




2 






1 













NORFOLK LOAM. 



Norfolk loam extends as a long narrow strip along the highest 
portion of the divide between the Patuxent River drainage and that 
of the Potomac River. It also occupies small, irregular, scattered 
areas covering the flat plateau of the northern portion of the county. 

Along the Three Notch Road, which follows the main divide of the 
county, the area occupied by the Norfolk loam presents a slightly 
rolling upland, varying from 120 to 165 feet in elevation. The high- 
est elevations and the intervening hollows are included in the area 
covered by this soil. 

The soil itself consists of a fine sandy to silty loam, reaching to an 
average depth of about 1 foot. When dry it is powdery and loose, 



128 FIELD OPEKA.TIONS OF THE DIVISION OF SOILS, 1900. 

resembling corn meal in texture, distinctly lacking the smooth, 
clayey feeling of the finer-grained Leonardtown loam. When wet it 
packs to a firm surface, which cakes slightly through sun drying. In 
plowed fields this soil, though distinctly sandy, ma}- clod into large- 
sized lumps. The subsoil is a reddish yellow sandy loam, finer in 
texture than the surface soil. It extends to a depth of about 30 
inches and is almost universally underlaid by a coarse red sand mixed 
with fine gravel, having an indefinite depth. 

The soil supports a natural growth of pitch pine, white oak and black 
oak, and chestnut, this latter tree occurring more frequently on this 
soil than on any other type represented in the county. The areas of 
Norfolk loam occurring in the northern portion of St. Mary County, 
particularly in the vicinity of St. Joseph's Church, constitute what is 
locally recognized as one of the most desirable tobacco soils in the 
county. The average yield per acre is about 1,300 pounds, and the 
average price about G cents per pound. Wheat, corn, and clover are 
also raised on this soil in regular rotation with the staple tobacco 
crop. The yield of these crops on the Norfolk loam compares favor- 
ably with the average yield of the same crops over the entire area of 
the county. 

The following analyses show the texture of the soil and subsoil of 
the Norfolk, loam : 

Mechanical analyses of Norfolk loam. 









t3 




m 


o 


,_, 







^ 








£5 




c 


-u 


C5 




a 


S 








:S 


a 





io 




4^ 


o 


a 


© 










3 


M 


"0 ~ 


US 


ii 


1 





No. 


Locality. 


Description. 


3 X 

'3 





's-a 


s a 

si 




-,a 

S " 

OU 




o 


us i 

sa 

o 








O 


> 
03 

3 


o 
O 


T3 


o 


>> 
■~ 
$ 

> 


43 

3 










P.ct. 


P. Ct. 


P. ct. 


P. rt. 


P. rt. 


P. ct. 


P. ct. 


P.ct. 


5110 


2} miles W. of Sot- 
terly. 


Yellow sandy 
loam, to 10 
inches. 


2.09 


2.64 


10. 04 


12. 43 


27. 40 


12. 45 


23.50 


9.70 


5112 


1 mile E. of New- 
market. 


Yellow sandy 
loam, () to 14 
inches. 


1.61 


Tr. 


.53 


2.11 


36.63 


IK. 66 


31.08 


9.24 


5111 


Subsoil of 5110 


Medium red 
sand, 10 to 40 
inches. 


2.10 


2.61 


12.46 


14.35 


31.94 


7.78 


13.89 


14.91 


5113 


Subsoil of 5112 


Red sandy loam, 
14 to 30 inches. 


2.03 


0.00 


Tr. 


2.38 


35. 11 


19.44 


17.32 


23.63 



LEONARDTOWN LOAM. 



The most extensive soil type in St. Mary County is the so-called 
white-oak or kettle-bottom soil of the upland. It extends from the 
vicinity of Ridge post office to the extreme northern limit of the 
county. The surface is slightly rolling or gently sloping, and the 



SOIL SURVEY OF ST. MARY COUNTY, MD. 



129 



broad, flat divides between the minor streams are covered by this soil. 
As the soil bears quite a variety of local names, it has seemed best to 
supplant them all by the name Leonardtown loam. 

The extensive forests of white oak and pitch pine occurring over 
the upland region are found largely on this type of soil. Where small 
irregular depressions without any outlet are found the sweet gum also 
flourishes. Where the Leonardtown loam is exposed on slopes to the 
washing action of rains, scalds or washes frequently form and they 
rapidly encroach upon the arable land. A permanent sod is the only 
sure cure for these scars, though brush dams cause a temporary delay 
in the progress of erosion. 

The cultivated areas of Leonardtown loam vary eonsiderably in the 






■■■mi f v'**- ^w -— f '*%- 

9>, 




Fig. 15.— Leonardtown loam, with Norfolk loam and Windsor sand in background. 

amounts of the various crops produced. Wheat, corn, and grass are 
best suited to this soil, while tobacco is better adapted to lighter, 
sandier soils. This soil type forms the nearest approach to the heavy 
clays of limestone regions that is found in the Coastal Plain of Mary- 
land. A treatment similar to that employed on the limestone soils 
should increase the productivity of the Leonardtown loam. 

The soil consists of a silty yellow loam, fine and powdery when dry, 
but puddling to a plastic clay-like mass when thoroughly wet. On 
redrying, this mass usually bakes to a hard, firm surface, or if stirred 
before being sufficiently dried, it clods up into hard lumps. The sub- 
soil consists of a brittle mass of clay lenses, lumps, and fragments 
separated from eacli other by seams and pockets of medium to fine 



11107—01- 



-9 



130 FIELD OPERATIONS OF THE DIVISION OF SOILS, 1900. 

sand. The subsoil, if evenly mixed, would form a somewhat sandy- 
loam, hut its peculiar structure causes it to act like a dense clay in 
its behavior toward the water circulation. The lenses of clay are 
slightly flattened and their edges overlap somewhat like the shingles 
on a roof. Consequently, water in its passage through the subsoil, 
follows a roundabout course along the sand-coated seams. Its progress 
downward is thus much delayed, and the subsoil is as impervious and 
as retentive of moisture as a heavy elay soil. The peculiar structure 
also gives rise to the brittleness noticed on plowing, 

The bright-yellow color of the soil indicates alack of organic matter. 
This can be corrected by plowing under green crops and by the appli- 
cation of stable manures. The tendency toward puddling and baking 




Pig. 10.— Leonardtown loam, with narrow band of Susquehanna gravel overlying Norfolk sand. 



may be corrected bj r the application of lime. Figs. 15 and 16 show 
something of the general character and position of the Leonardtown 
loam . 

As has been indicated in the comparison of this soil with the 
residual soils of limestone areas, the Leonardtown loam is a type best 
adapted to the production of grass and grain crops, and certain por- 
tions of the area found in St. Mary County are at present producing 
good hay and grain crops. The gradual introduction of live stock 
should largely increase the producing capacity of this soil, since the 
crops best suited to the soil can be fed directly to cattle. The saving 
in the fertilizer bill in this connection is an important item in farm 
economics. 



SOIL SUKVEY OF ST. MARY COUNTY, ID. 



131 



The following analyses show the texture of the Leonardtown loam 
soil and subsoil : 

Mechanical analyses of Leonardtown loam. 









tJ 




>o 





,_, 







_, 








a 




© 


+» 


e> 


-p 


a 


§ 










a 

a 




+3 


■a 





c 


a 


o 








+3 , 


^ 


fl'l 




fa 


s 


o 

+2 . 


No. 


Locality. 


Description. 


03 CO 





p'a 

la 


a a 

So" 


®a 

p 

o3 


co n 
«5 




8 


sa 

o 








'3 


® 


CO 


3 


CO 




o 










o 


> 

c« 


Sh 
CS 
O 

O 


8 


05 


u 

> 


s 


V 








P.ct. 


P.ct. 


P.ct. 


P.ct. 


P. ct. 


P. cf. 


P. c<. 


P.ct. 


5114 


3 miles W. of Leon- 
ardtown. 


Yellow siltyloam, 
to 12 inches. 


2.41 


Tr. 


.89 


1.33 


5.09 


11.37 


58.26 


19.90 


5116 


1 mile S. of Love- 


Yellow silty loam, 
to 12 inches. 


2.24 


0.00 


Tr. 


3.16 


17.62 


18.76 


47.75 


9.69 




ville. 


















5118 


4j miles E. of Leon- 
ardtown. 


Yellow silty loam, 
OtolO inches. 


2.97 


Tr. 


1.38 


1.91 


3.87 


21.90 


58.46 


10.06 


5127 


2 miles S W. of New- 
market 


Yellow silty loam, 
(I to 9 inches. 


2.11 


Tr. 


3.05 


4.19 


9.79 


16.54 


55. 70 


8.03 


5115 


Subsoil of 5114 


Yellow loam, 12 to 
34 inches. 


1.96 


Tr. 


.76 


1.19 


5.26 


13.92 


55.02 


21.94 


5117 


Subsoil of 5116 


Yellow loam, 12 to 
30 inches. 


3.07 


0.00 


Tr. 


3.28 


9.08 


11.96 


49.24 


22.59 


5119 


Subsoil of 5118 


Yellow loam, 10 to 
30 inches. 


2.44 


.67 


1.24 


1.83 


4.63 


15.46 


53.39 


20.37 


5128 


Subsoil of 5127 


Yellow loam, 9 to 
30 inches. 


1.56 


2.22 


4.78 


8.49 


15.97 


10.77 


36.42 


19.20 



SUSQUEHANNA GRAVEL. 

The layer of gravel which almost uniformly underlies the upland 
soil types, particularly the Leonardtown loam, reaches the surface 
along all the more deeply cut stream valleys and along the slopes 
separating the upland from the low-lying foreland border. The gravel 
works down across the slopes wherever it reaches the surface, and 
forms long, narrow bands of a distinctly gravelly soil. While of no 
great importance either in area or in agricultural value, it forms a 
marked feature of the land surface. In some instances the component 
materials are coarse enough to form stony bands and patches along 
the slopes. In other cases the finer gravel accumulates sufficiently 
to form small areas of poor or almost useless soil. This is the case 
on some of the smaller hills of the northeastern part of the county, 
where broken fragments of iron crust mingle with the gravel and 
sands. 

Grapes are cultivated to advantage on similar soils in other regions, 
and their adaptabilit3 r to this soil should be tried on a small scale in 
St. Mary County. In general, it would be better to allow forest growths 
to occupy the larger, more intractable areas. 

The proportion of gravel in some of these areas is as high as 50 per 
cent, and with so coarse a texture it becomes almost impossible to 
maintain a sufficient supply of moisture to mature any long-growing 
crop. This is especially the case where the gravel areas lie on steeply 
sloping surfaces. 



132 FIELD OPEKATIONS OF THE DIVISION OF SOILS, 1900. 

WINDSOR SAND. 

The Windsor sand areas are found only in the northern portion of 
St. Mary County. They are marked by a strong growth of pitch pine 
and by the gravelly and sandy texture of the soil. At present these 
areas are imperfectly tilled to tobacco and grain crops, or occupied 
by small land holdings devoted to producing garden crops for house- 
hold consumption. 

TI13 soil consists of a coarse to medium sand, containing consider- 
able gravel. It extends to about 10 inches in depth, and is underlaid 
by an even coarser sandy and gravelly subsoil, frequently containing 
iron crusts in sheets and in broken fragments. 

The value and capabilities of this soil have not been recognized as 
yet in this region. Its coarseness of texture, while precluding the 
profitable eultivat ion of grain crops, adapts it especially to the cul- 
ture of early truck crops and peaches. The latter crop when raised 
on the Windsor sand produces a superior qualit}^ of fruit both in color 
and taste, and the orchards found on this soil in other localities are 
long lived, healthy, and profitable. 

The Windsor sand areas of St. Mary County are all located within 
easy hauling distance of the present railroad points, and special crops 
of early fruits, vegetables, and peaches could find an easy and profit- 
able market in the cities on connecting lines. 

The surface of the Windsor sand is generally level and is little 
subject to washing on account of the porosity of the soil. It is easily 
cultivated and easily improved, and should form a valuable tj r pe for 
the special crops already discussed. 

The following mechanical analyses show the texture of typical 
samples of the soil and subsoil: 

Mechanical analyses of Windsor sand. 









■n 




in 


o 


,_, 


o 




,_, 








p 




o 


+j 


o 


+3 


a 


^ 








03 


a 

2 


O 


»o 


O 


f-J 


a 


© 








+3 




© 


+3 
8 


^ d 


i 


o 


No. 


Locality. 


Description. 


03 ^ 

aj 

03 

SB 


o 
+3 
»l 

"3 
> 

03 


CO rt 

01 
DQ 


sg 

Mia 

so 

d 

■3 


-13 

ia 

o3 
■Jl 

© 


as g 

§| 

<d° 




43 

s 

o 


jo a 
sa 
©■ 

03 

o 








U 

O 





O 

Q 


M 


£ 


> 


0Q 








P.ct. 


P.ct. 


P.ct. 


P.ct. 


P.ct. 


P.ct. 


P.ct. 


P.ct. 


5129 


Newmarket 


Coarse sand, to 
9 inches. 


1.43 


5.48 


14.29 


14.04 


38.63 


15.16 


8.10 


2.76 


5130 


Subsoil of 5129.... 


Sand, gravel, and 
iron crust, 9 to 
28 inches. 


1.02 


10.20 


2(1.92 


12.18 


29.30 


11.58 


10.99 


3.81 



NORFOLK SAND. 



The Norfolk sand illustrates the fact that a single soil type may 
arise from materials deposited at different geological periods. In St. 
Mary County, soil of this type is found along the sloping sides of 



SOIL SURVEY OF ST. MARY COUNTY, MD. 



133 



streams as an outcrop of some of the basal formations of the county; 
again it occurs along the lower courses of these streams as flat-topped 
terraces built up from the older material by river transportation; 
while small areas of it occur along the forelands as material carried 
still farther seaward. All these deposits present the same sandy 
nature and form the same general type of soil, but they vary greatly 
in geological age. 

Along the shallow stream channels of the forest area of the count} 7 
narrow borders of this sand} 7 soil are frequent. In the northern part 
of the county the streams have also cut into the sandy layer, which is 
the original source of this material. The covering of other materials 
has been washed away and considerable areas of Norfolk sand arc 
exposed. Wherever found, this soil is recognized as well adapted to 
the Maryland type of tobacco, and it shares with the Norfolk loam in 
the reputation of producing a good grade and a reasonable quantity 
of the crop. 

The soil consists of a red or brown sandy loam, having a depth of 
about 9 inches. This is underlaid by an orange or red sand to 
a depth of 3 feet or more. The natural growth on this soil includes 
chestnut, oak, and laurel. The Norfolk sand is a typical early 
truck soil, and has been very successfully farmed in truck crops 
all along the Atlantic coast. It produces a quick growth and early 
maturity, and is therefore much better adapted to the trucking 
business than to the production of grain crops, which require a 
longer growing season. Peaches, pears, early potatoes, and the 
common garden vegetables should be raised much more extensively 
than at present upon this soil whenever transportation facilities permit 
of marketing. The wild fruits like the blackberry, which nourish so 
remarkably on this soil, should be replaced by the cultivated varieties 
of the same fruits. 

The following table gives the results of mechanical analyses of this 
soil type : 

Mechanical analyses of Norfolk sand. 









•e 




^ 


o 


_ 


c 




^ 








a 




o 


-^ 


d 




a 


S 








id 


a 





© 


o 


s 


a 


© 










^ 


^ 


ii 


& 


fa 




o 


No. 


Locality. 


Description. 


c8 to 

a J 







52 

1° 


-3 


91 


US 


ga 








"8 


~o 


- 




tad 


S 

o 


d 








03 


> 


■- 

- 


<a 


V 


>> 




>, 








Ih 

o 

P. ct. 


3 


o 


CS 




3 
> 


33 


OS 

Q 








P. ct. 


P. ct. 


P. ct. 


P. ct. 


P. ct. 


P. ct. 


P. ct. 


5133 


4 miles E. of Leon- 
ard town. 


Fine yellow sand. 
to 14 inches. 


1.44 


Tr. 


2.74 


7.38 


38.57 


21.77 


22.37 


4.82 


5135 


1J- miles SW. of 
Hillville. 


Medium yellow 
sand. to 10 
inches. 


1.36 


1.64 


s. 74 


13.60 


34.69 


18.76 


15.89 


1.S7 


5134 


Subsoil of 5133 


Medium red sand, 
14 to 36 inches. 


1.73 


Tr. 


2.31 


5.88 


34.91 


80.66 


22. 52 


11.96 


5130 


Subsoil of 5135 


Red sand and 
gravel. 10 to 88 
inches. 


2.00 


4.30 


12.65 


13.69 


31.22 


10. 10 


10. 12 


15.23 



134 FIELD OPERATIONS OF THE DIVISION OF SOILS, 1900. 



SASSAFRAS LOAM. 

This soil type occurs in St. Mary County at an elevation of from 60 
to 90 feet above tide in the form of fiat-topped terraces. It is gener- 
ally completely cleared and well cultivated. It forms the best corn 
producing soils of this and other areas and is well fitted for general 
farming purposes. It is formed from a mixture of sand and clay 
derived from much older strata and reworked and redeposited by 
stream action. 

The soil consists of a slightly sandy yellow or brown loam, having 
a depth of from 8 to 12 inches. This is underlaid by a heavier yellow 
loam to a depth of nearly 3 feet. This subsoil forms a good storage 
reservoir to maintain a moisture supply during the growing season 
without retaining enough water to interfere with cultivation or plant 
growth. Wheat, corn, and the grasses do well" on this soil, while a 
fair tobacco crop can be raised on it; but it approaches more nearly 
to an easily worked medium grade of soil for general farming pur- 
poses. Pears and other fruits, together with tomatoes, asparagus, 
and canning crops should be introduced to give a greater variety in 
crops with increased opportunities for profits. 

The use of lime and of green manures and stable manures will 
benefit this soil, though not so essential as in the case of heavier 
types. 

The following table gives the mechanical analyses of Sassafras loam : 

Mechanical analyses of Sassafras loam. 









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c 


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a 


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o3 

u 

CD 

+3 . 
* X 

as 

o 

'3 

03 

at 
u 

O 


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1Q 

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o 


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No. 


Locality. 


Description. 






ffl 

> 
03 

O 


5 
os a 

CO w 

9 
u 

OS 
O 

O 


•6 S 

os a 

<o»o 

aS 




CM 

°:a 

is a 
p 
03 
cr. 

91 

s 
5 


"S a 

a & 

GO « 

CD 
> 


S 
© 


-p 

lO 

o 
d 

02 


o . 

^a 

ga 

d 

>, 

03 

5 








P.ct. 


P.ct. 


P.ct. 


P.ct. 


P.ct. 


P.ct. 


P.ct. 


P.ct. 


5137 


\\ mile W. of Sot- 
terly. 


Yellow silty loam, 
0to9 inches. 


2.22 


1.21 


4.51 


4.57 


14. y4 


13. 26 


49.87 


9.45 


5139 


1 mile S. of Great 
Mills. 


Yellow silty loam, 
(J to y inches. 


2.43 


1.02 


3.12 


4.53 


13.35 


13.14 


49.68 


12.80 


-138 


Subsoil of 5137 


Yellow sandy loam, 
y to 30 inches. 


1.87 


.81 


4.51 


5.7y 


22.62 


10. 54 


33.84 


19.61 


!U0 


Subsoil of 5139. 


Heavy yellow 
loam, 9 to 30 


2.17 


Tr. 


2.45 


4.02 


13.72 


12.63 


50.56 


14.16 






inches. 



















SASSAFRAS SANDY LOAM. 

Sassafras sandy loam occupies the low-lying forelands along the 
Patuxent and Potomac rivers and along the shores of the numerous 
estuaries and creeks tributary to those rivers. In fact, this soil for- 
mation extends as a discontinuous belt of choice farm land almost 
entirely encircling the county. 

Lying between the more elevated uplands and the tide-water courses 



SOIL SURVEY OF ST. MARY COUNTY, MD. 135 

of the chief rivers of the section, the Sassafras sandy loam slopes gen- 
tly down from an elevation of about 35 feet nearly to Avater level, and 
presents a very nearly flat, though gently inclined, surface. Areas 
located on adjacent forelands are usually separated from each other 
by lower-lying strips of meadow lands located along the margins of 
the minor streams. To the rear of each area the surface usually rises 
with quite a steep slope to the more elevated plateau region. 

The soil itself is probably a stream deposit, laid down at a time 
when the relative level of tide water in this region was at least '40 
feet higher than at present, though the plateau portion of the county 
existed as dry land even then. The deposition of material derived 
from the upland by the streams of that day took place closely adja- 
cent to the land area which existed there, and the coarser sands 
were deposited in those stream courses as noted elsewhere. The finer 
sand and silt, carried to a greater distance seaward because of the 
lightness of individual grains, were deposited in the region of tide 
water, with the coarser materials falling in shallower water near 
shore, as is the case with the present deposition in all regions. Thus, 
small sandbars and spits would be formed, and organic matter from 
the mainland and from the tidal flats usual along low shore lines 
would be commingled with the sand and silt of the bottoms of the 
estuaries. In such a manner the sandy loams of this foreland por- 
tion of the county most probably originated. As the relative eleva- 
tion of land and sea changed, this new-formed soil became exposed, 
and encroaching land vegetation further aided in the preparation of 
the loam for agricultural purposes. 

The soil is a dark-brown sandy loam, having an average depth of 
about 14 inches. The subsoil is heavier, in most instances consisting 
of a yellow or reddish-yellow sandy loam. At 30 inches depth the 
subsoil is normalty succeeded by a reddish sand, though frequently 
this is wanting and a silty drab layer is found, which extends nearly 
or quite to tide level. 

This soil is so well recognized as a desirable farming land that all 
original tree growth has been removed and the area is occupied by 
cultivated fields. Corn, wheat, and tobacco are raised on the Sassa- 
fras sandy loam, and the j'ield of each is somewhat higher than the 
average yield for the county. The average wheat crop will consist of 
about 15 bushels per acre; that of corn about 7 barrels, or 35 bushels; 
while the tobacco will grow to 1,600 pounds per acre, and will sell at 5 
or 6 cents per pound. Of course, much larger crops are raised under 
favorable conditions, while unfavorable conditions of season or cul- 
ture will correspondingly cause a decrease in yield. 

In the Cedar Point area the production of green peas, tomatoes, 
and of sweet corn for canning purposes has been undertaken. The 
climatic and soil conditions are favorable to profitable production of 
these and other crops classed as truck or canning crops. Along the 



136 FIELD OPERATIONS OF THE DIVISION OF SOILS, 1900. 



Patuxent River, near Forrest Wharf, the culture of broom corn is 
being undertaken. The success of this attempt has not been learned. 

Owing to the location of this soil along the shore near shipping- 
points, as well as to its texture and general properties, it is well 
adapted to the raising of fruits, vegetables, and general truck crops 
which derive value from being placed on an early market. Its posi- 
tion also makes irrigation possible whenever the neeessitj' for intensi- 
fied cultivation shall manifest itself in this community. 

The general character of the Sassafras sandy loam is indicated by 
the following mechanical analyses. It is noticeable that the subsoil 
in each case contains quite a large percentage more of clay than does 
the corresponding soil. 

Mechanical analyses of Sassafras sandy loam. 









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lO 





rt 







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+= 


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1-1 


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£ 


in 


s 


o 


No. 


Locality. 


Description. 


aj 

c 




13 


es g 

CO H 

CB 
CO 


§a 


= a 
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oj 

CO 


co a 




s 

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a,a 

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P.ct. 


P. ct. 


P.ct. 


P.ct. 


P.ct. 


P.ct. 


P.ct 


P.ct. 


5141 


If miles SE. of 


Brown sandy loam, 


2.55 


Tr. 


1.56 


4.30 


34.34 


11.86 


36.62 


8.36 




Stone Wharf. 


to ltj inches. 


















5144 


2* miles S. of 
Leonardtown. 


Brown sandy loam, 
to 9 inches. 


2.22 


1.72 


10.83 


18.96 


19.85 


6.44 


31.94 


8.56 


5147 


If miles NE. of 
Trap. 


Brown sandy loam, 
to 8 inches. 


3.50 


3.49 


12.30 


9.40 


5.88 


10.16 


48.62 


6.24 


5149 


| mile NE. of Co- 
houck Point. 


Brown sandy loam, 
to 12 inches. 


2.93 


4.87 


17.49 


11.83 


11.08 


9.82 


30.59 


11.55 


5142 


Subsoil of 5141.... 


Heavy brown 
loam, 16 to 34 
inches. 


1.66 


.75 


2.67 


6.79 


45.80 


5.87 


17.06 


19.30 


5145 


Subsoil of 5144 


Red loam, 9 to 30 
inches. 


2.53 


1.58 


12.36 


18.69 


15. 99 


4.62 


30.43 


12.80 


5148 


Subsoil of 5147 ... 


Yellow loam, 8 to 
30 inches. 


2.71 


.99 


7.03 


6.15 


3.76 


11.20 


51. 80 


16.48 


5150 


Subsoil of 5149.... 


Yellow sandy 
loam, 12 to 30 
inches. 


2.15 


2.98 


13. 72 


12. 18 


9.74 


8.78 


26.13 


24. 20 



The natural meadow lands of St. Mary County are usually flat or 
gently inclined areas occurring along stream courses or on the low 
flat forelands bordering the tide-water areas. The meadows are 
usually rather wet, and in many instances they differ from adjoining 
soil types in their relation to drainage rather than in their texture. 

The natural forest growth over the meadows includes white oak, 
willow oak, sweetgum, and poplar, with frequently a matted under- 
growth of shrubs and vines. The meadows furnish a rather coarse, 
rank grass for grazing and, owing to the mild climate of the region, 
cattle frequently find pasturage throughout the winter. 

The large meadow areas of the forelands are frequently cultivated 
to the general farm crops, but in wet seasons they are difficult of til- 
lage, and even in the most favorable seasons they produce only wheat 



SOIL SURVEY OF ST. MARY COUNTY, MD. 



137 



and grass to good advantage. They require extensive underdrainage; 
even open ditches are inadequate, for the soil is so dense and so near 
water level that surface drainage fails to lower the level of standing 
water sufficiently to aerate the soil thorough]}'. The presence of 
excessive water in the soil thus tends to keep the ground cold and to 
delay seed germination and plant growth. Then, too, the organic 
acids tend to accumulate to excess, proving harmful to plant life and 
not fulfilling their function in the preparation of mineral matter to 
serve as plant food. 

Proper underdrainage by lowering the water level will not only 
drain off surplus moisture, but will also permit a circulation of air, 
and thus aid in the natural improvement of the soil. 

Many thousand acres of meadow land, now producing only a rank 
growth of grass or an uncertain crop of grain, can be made highlj 7 
valuable by relatively cheap methods of underdrainage. 

The soil of the meadow areas usually consists of 8 to 10 inches of 
gray silty loam underlaid by a subsoil of ash-gray clay loam. The 
soil mass is apt to be cohesive and clay -like when wet, but when sub- 
jected to the action of the frost and air it becomes powdery and 
crumbly, and is very much improved in texture. Drainage and lim- 
ing should be resorted to in order to produce this result on a large 
scale. 

The texture of this soil is showu b} r the following analyses: 

Mechanical analyses of meadow. 









•a 




>a 





_, 















9 


a 

a 

o 




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e 


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© 


| 


© 


No. 


Locality. 


Description. 


s 

So 



1 

bo 






8 

°:a 


la 

§13 


i 

d 




o 








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U 


8 a 

© 
DO 
U 




03 



cfl- 


g 

© 


e 

03 








C 


3 


o 


* 


h 


> 


35 


o 








P.ct. 


P.ct. 


P.ct. 


P.ct. 


P.ct. 


P.ct. 


P. ct. 


P. ct. 


5151 


2 miles SE. of Briscoe 
Wharf. 


Gray loam, to 8 
inches. 


1.84 


Tr. 


0.88 


0.83 


3.76 


23. 35 


59.59 


9.58 


5153 


One-eighth mile W. of 
Short Point. 


Brow n sil ty loam, 
C to 7 inches. 


2. 32 


1.41 


3.33 


4.12 


6. 46 


15.41 


58.54 


8.32 


5162 


Subsoil of 5151 


Drab clay, 8 to 30 
inches. 


2. 89 


0.00 


Tr. 


1.73 


5. 38 


16.30 


47.55 


25.77 


5154 


Subsoil of 5153 


Drab clay. 7 to 32 
inches. 


1 . 61 


Tr. 


2.01 


2.61 


7.11 


11.40 


60.11 


14.74 



There are three types of swamp lands in St. Mary County — the 
tidal fiats, which are wholly or partially submerged at each high tide; 
the fresh- water marshes, subject to frequent or constant inundation 
by streams; and the fresh-water bogs and swamps, due to incomplete 
head-water drainage or to nat nral or accidental artificial ponding back 
of stream "waters. 

The salt marsh at the head of Chaptico Bay and the flats at the head 



138 FIELD OPERATIONS OF THE DIVISION OF SOILS, 1900. 

of Breton Bay are the most extensive examples of the first class 
occurring in St. Mary County. Except at especially high spring tides 
these areas lie about 5 feet above the water level. They support a 
growth of marsh grass and reeds and possess a silty soil mixed with 
partially decayed vegetation. Some marsh hay is cut over these areas, 
and cattle and hogs find pasture where the surface is sufficiently firm 
to support their weight. 

These marshy areas are formed by the deposition of fine sand, silt, 
and clay, brought down by streams and by the higher tides, together 
with the decaying remains of the vegetation which gains a foothold 
on the drier areas. These marshes are constantly growing in extent, 
and in many instances cattle are feeding on marshy meadows where 
small-sized boats floated in the early days of the colonization of the 
county. Farther from the mouths of the larger tributary streams, 
above the highest reach of the tide, the fresh-water marshes occur, as 
is the case along the Chaptico Creek, Mcintosh Run, and many of the 
streams flowing into the Patuxent River. These marshes are similar 
to the salt marshes, except that they are only subject to irregularly 
occurring inundations below fresh water instead of periodic submer- 
sion bj^ the tides. 

The third class of swamps occupies positions at the heads of some 
of the main streams and along the upper courses of the majority of 
the smaller ones. The head waters of the St. Mary River drainage, 
found in the forest area around St. Andrew's Church, illustrate this 
condition markedly, though many other localities are very similar. 

The surface in this forest area is slightly irregular and consists of 
Leonardtown loam and Norfolk sand. The hollows in both of these 
formations are swampy and grown up to gum trees. In wet seasons 
small ponds exist, which become dry, or nearly so, during the latter 
part of each summer. A slight clearing out of the natural drainage 
ways, connecting these ponds with stream courses, would destroy the 
ponds in most cases. Frequently the obstruction to drainage consists 
of a rank growth of vegetation, fallen tree trunks, and the accumula- 
tion of dead leaves and soil wash. In some few cases the grading up 
of highways or embankments constructed for proposed railways 
through the county has caused accidental artificial ponding of waters. 
These are of small extent and may be easily remedied by underdrainage. 

CONDITIONS OF AGRICULTURE. 

The condition of agriculture in any community depends upon four 
factors — soil, climate, transportation facilities, and the mental and 
physical energy of the population. The first two of these factors are 
natural, while the last two are to a great degree artificial. Usually 
it does not lie within the power of any community, however ener- 
getic, to modify the soils or the climate of a region to any marked 
extent. The great exception to this statement is in the arid States, 



SOIL SURVEY OF ST. MARY COUNTY, MD. 139 

where irrigation has been introduced, transforming desert areas into 
fertile farms. 

The actual conditions of the soil, the climate, and the transporta- 
tion facilities of St. Mary County have been treated separately in 
other chapters, but a general resume of the interrelationships of 
these factors and a slight reference to certain social and economic 
conditions prevailing in the count}^ are necessary to a full appre- 
ciation of the present status of the county by its own inhabitants as 
well as by strangers. 

The usual farm practice in St. Mary County is based on a rotation 
of crops, including tobacco, corn, wheat, and grass, or a season of 
fallowing. This rotation is observed on all soils in all parts of the 
county, though some individual farmers have modified it. Thus, in 
a great majority of cases, the fundamental factor of soil differences 
is neglected. The success of the rotation in the county has depended 
upon the highly accidental factors of the location of the farm and 
the energy of the farmer. Thus, the energetic man located on the 
proper soil for the tobacco crop will be highly successful, while his 
no less energetic neighbor located on the wrong soil may be unsuc- 
cessful, and the unenergetic man may absolutely fail. 

The natural selection of farm lands dependent upon these condi- 
tions has led to the abandonment of large areas of the Leonardtown 
loam to forest occupation, for the soil is not adapted to the culture of 
the quality of tobacco which buyers expect from the county. On the 
other hand, the Norfolk loam is tilled over almost every acre of its 
extent, because it is adapted to the production of this chief crop. 

In the same way natural selection has led to the extensive cultiva- 
tion of the Sassafras sandy loam, and it is worthy of notice that the 
very first white settlers, as well as their Indian predecessors, located 
on this soil type chiefly because of its location near water transporta- 
tion, but also probably in part because it is an excellent soil for gen- 
eral farming purposes. Contrasted with this soil are the large areas of 
meadow land still clothed with forest growth, though similarly located 
to the Sassafras sand loam. It is not entirely an accident that leads 
to these selections and to the introduction of new crops, such as 
peaches, on the Norfolk sand, or to the cultivation of canning crops 
and broom corn on Sassafras sandy loam. The climate of the region 
is suited to the crops, the soils are similar to those upon which the 
crops have been raised elsewhere, the facilities for transportation are 
in part equal to the necessities of the crops, while the energy required 
for their introduction is supplied by well-informed and progressive 
citizens of the county and of other regions. 

A local and partly defined soil classification has been reached 
through this process of selection, though the areas suited to certain 
crops have not been located nor mapped over any part of the county 
until the present time. Nevertheless experience, often bought at a 



140 FIELD OPERATIONS OF THE DIVISION OF SOILS, 1900. 

dear price and confined to the few who have ventured their monej" 
and their time, has led to the partial classification already noted. It- 
is hoped that the classification, the map, and the description of soil 
types contained in this report will facilitate further development 
along the lines of soil selection for special crops, will encourage the 
introduction of new crops, and will lead to a generalization of the 
experience gained by the few for the use of the many. 

Closely associated with the adaptability of certain soil types to cer- 
tain crops is the two-edged question of fertilizer, which is dependent 
for its answer upon the quality of soil to be fertilized and the kind of 
crop to be raised. 

Probably every soil type in St. Mary County contains within 4 feet 
of its surface sufficient plant food to produce 100 crops of any kind 
which are raised or could be raised in the county. The necessity for 
fertilizer depends on the fact that much of this material is present in 
such chemical combinations and in such a physical state that some 
manipulation is required to release it and to bring it into solution in 
water so that the plant roots may absorb it. Certain chemicals found 
in commercial fertilizers and in stable manures tend to release this 
plant food and to form or supply soluble chemical compounds suited 
to the needs of the plants, while organic matter constitutes the best 
sponge for retaining the absolutely essential water supply in sandy 
soils, and acts equally well in loosening the too closely packed par- 
ticles of heavier clay soils. The organic matter, through its decay, 
also furnishes actual plant foods and solvents for the preparation of 
other foods. The character of growth desired in special crops modi- 
fies the kind and amount of special fertilizers for those crops. For 
example, it is a generally accepted principle of tobacco culture in 
Maryland that liming land spoils the texture of the tobacco raised, 
causing it to spot and injuring the burning qualities for which it is so 
well known; therefore the use of lime on tobacco lands is precluded, 
though its use would be of undoubted advantage on all of the heavier 
soil tj^pes and upon most of the lighter types for other crops. 

St. Mary County possesses large stores of carbonate of lime in the 
Neocene marl beds underlying all of the upland portion of the county 
and reaching the surface in nearly every cliff and stream cutting over 
the upper half of the region. This lime supply consists of the calca- 
reous shells of marine shellfish which once lived upon the sea botl om 
when the ocean covered the county. The shells, buried in sand and 
elevated above water level, can be dug out by the wagonload and con- 
verted into excellent lime by sieving out the sand and burning the 
remaining shells, just as lime rock is burned to lime. The sifting 
would be unnecessary in the case of some of the deposits, since the 
small amount of sand present would be a benefit to the heavier types 
of land. The Leonardtown loam would benefit materially from such 
liming, except, of course, when tobacco is to be raised. 

The plowing under of green crops, especially the leguminous plants 



SOIL SUKVEY OF ST. MARY COUNTY, MD. 141 

of the clover and eowpea varieties, furnishes another method of enrich- 
ment highly desirable on almost all the soil types of St. Mary County, 
and does not present the difficulties of liming, since this kind of fer- 
tilizer is of great benefit to the tobacco crop. These leguminous crops 
furnish a fair forage for cattle during a period of their growth, and if 
allowed to continue growing they produce a mass of organic matter 
for incorporation with the soil; and all the time, beneath the surface 
of the ground, certain minute bacteria, living on the roots, are taking 
nitrogen from the air and storing it in the soil, thus helping in the 
enrichment of the soil. 

The ordinary practice of putting from 200 to 400 pounds of commer- 
cial fertilizer, costing from $18 to $40 per ton, upon the farms of St. 
Mary County has a double effect. It produces the crop, but it also 
enters a large item on the expense side of the farm account, and on 
some soils its continued use has the effect of burning out the soil, so 
that periods of fallowing become essential. For certain crops special 
fertilizers will always be necessary, and commercial fertilizers are to 
be commended highly, but in St. Mary County on all soils the use of 
stable manure and the plowing under of green crops are to be pre- 
ferred, while on the soils least suited to tobacco the abandonment of 
that crop and the free use of lime in conjunction with organic matter 
have already become necessary, as is shown by the forest areas given 
over to nature's cultivation. 

Many of the farm buildings of St. Maiy County are of remote date. 
The farmhouses particularly are types of colonial structure, and the 
residence upon the farm at Sotterly is one built for the first governor 
of Maryland, while numerous other manor houses in the county are 
nearly as venerable. Even the less pretentious houses display the 
long sloping roofs, the gable windows, and the large end chimneys of 
the early colonial period. The atmosphere of antiquity, of romance, 
and of historic interest which surrounds these old residences and the 
equally venerable churches and farm properties gives a local color 
and a local pride to the county that can be shared only by other com- 
munities of equal age. 

Outbuildings are not so essential in this climate as in regions of 
heavier snowfall, so the older farms are provided only with the tobacco 
barn, smokehouse, and corncrib of the plantation, the large stock and 
hay barns being almost totally unknown. Cattle can graze upon the 
meadow lands in all but exceptionally severe weather, and the side of 
some existing building or the shelter of woodland protects them dur- 
ing the coldest weather. 

The fences are mostly built of rails and poles cut in the native for- 
ests, though some barbed and other patent wire fences have been 
introduced. The Virginia rail or worm fence is the most common 
type, while the mortised post, into which the ends of the rails are 
fitted, is also common. 

No account of the condition of agriculture in St. Mary County would 



142 FIEi,D OPERATIONS OF THE DIVISION OF SOILS, 1900. 

be complete without a reference to the common draft vehicle and 
beast. Owing to the steepness of the grades and to the general diffi- 
culties attending land transportation, the ox cart is usually employed 
for heavy hauling. It is no uncommon thing toward the latter part 
of June to meet from one to twenty 4-ox or f5-ox teams attached to 
heavy 2-wheeled carts, upon which one or two tobacco hogsheads 
are being drawn to the wharves for shipment. Each hogshead con- 
stitutes an unwieldy mass of about 800 pounds of tightly packed 
tobacco, and the successful transportation of some of these loads down 
the steep slopes from the upland to the wharf, under the existing road 
conditions, is no small feat of engineering. 

The field labor is largely performed by the numerous colored popu- 
lation of the county, some of whom labored as slaves on the same 
farms where they now work as free men. The majority of the work- 
ers, however, belong to a more recent generation. 

The wants of these workmen are few (a cabin, a garden patch, and 
the most elementary house furnishings), the forest lands giving free 
grazing to the cow, the horse, and the pig of the landowner, the tenant, 
and the day laborer alike. Added to these conditions are a mild cli- 
mate and usually a free supply of firewood, together with fish and 
oysters from near-by waters. As a result, a fair subsistence is easily 
obtained with a minimum of labor, especially as the colored laborers 
and their families are free partakers, through the generosity of their 
white employers, in the partly worn clothing and in the surplus pro- 
visions of their white employers. So while the actual cash wages will 
average only 50 or 75 cents per day, this sum will have a purchas- 
ing and sustaining power far in excess of the same amount in the 
more thickly settled and colder regions of the North. Men, women, 
and even children work in the fields together, particularly in caring 
for the tobacco crop, which requires a large amount of hand labor for 
setting the plants, hoeing, curing, and stripping. 

Some of the colored men own their own farms, but the majority find 
a more congenial employment in the less exacting task of devoting 
most of their time to caring for the crops of others. The limited cap- 
ital they can usually accumulate confines the colored farmers to what 
are generally considered as rather undesirable farm lands, most fre- 
quently Leonardtown loam, meadow, or Windsor sand areas. A change 
in crop production and farm practice will some day make these lands 
equal in value to others more desired at present. 

There are no large towns in St. Mary County. Leonardtown, the 
county seat, is the largest, while Mechanicsville, at the terminus of 
the raih-oad, does a thriving business, and Charlotte Hall is the seat 
of a well-known school of the same name. 

The tendency of the white population is toward the enjoyment of 
the seclusion of large estates, and frequently the manor house or farm- 
house is reached only by a long avenue leading away to a distance of 
nearly a mile from the public highway. On the other hand, the col- 



SOIL SURVEY OF ST. MARY COUNTY, MD. 143 

bred population segregates into little communities, where land may- 
be obtained cheaply, and little villages of frame and log dwellings are 
dotted over the county. 

TRANSPORTATION. 

A single line of railway, connecting Mechanicsville with a main line 
at Brandywine, is the only rail communication in St. Mary County 
with the markets and cities of the State and with the country at large. 
This lack of railroad communication is partly relieved by the steam- 
boat service on the Patuxent and Potomac rivers and on the larger 
streams. As two lines connecting with Baltimore and Washington 
control the water transportation, this can scarcely be said to equal 
the needs of the county. The boats run only at long intervals and 
at rather irregular times, and the trip to Baltimore or Washington 
consumes from sixteen to twenty-four hours, depending upon the 
volume of freight carried. 

For this reason the crops produced in the county are placed at 
a disadvantage with relation to markets when compared with those 
of other regions, and the variety of crops that can be raised with 
profit is considerably restricted. This is particularly evident in 
the case of fruit and truck crops and of dairy products. The truck 
lands of St. Mary County are excellent, so far as soil and climate are 
concerned, but no one cares to enter into their cultivation to any 
extent so long as the cost and uncertainties of marketing remain as 
great as at present. Again, the Leonardtown loam, the Sassafras loam, 
and the meadow lands are well adapted to dairying and to stock rais- 
ing, but the time distance from markets and the actual uncertainty 
of any communication during winter months retard or prevent intro- 
duction of stock. 

The waterways for extensive steamboat communication exist, grades 
well adapted for railway construction are to be found, and the con- 
struction of the roadbed presents only the simple engineering prob- 
lem of cut and fill, with no consolidated rock formations to require 
blasting. The soils, the climate, and the natural advantages of geo- 
graphical location all favor the upbuilding of the county. It is likely 
that outside influences have combined with a well-defined conserva- 
tism in the native population to retard the development not only of 
this but of other localities in the general region. 

The internal communications of the county consist of highly varied 
wagon roads. The main roads follow the main divides, while public 
and private roadways lead out along the secondary divides and down 
to the lowland farms and to the wharves. Bridges are scarce, and 
the small streams are crossed by fords. The tide-water indentations 
along the coast and the marshes at their headward extremities sepa- 
rate the farms along the forelands, and it is possible to go only from 
one foreland to another by considerable detour inland, usually includ- 
ing a steep ascent to the upland and an equally steep descent to the 
adjoining foreland. Foot passengers can usually find a small boat to 



144 FIELD OPERATIONS OF THE DIVISION OF SOILS, 1900. 



transfer them across such obstacles, and many of the farmers own 
sailboats, but regular ferries do not exist. There is no regular ferry 
or bridge across the Patuxent terminating in St. Mary County. 

The wagon roads consist of sand, loam, or clay, as they happen to 
cross such materials, and the rain wash and the wear of travel have 
cut the roads down for long distances far below the surface of the 
country. In many places where the roadway has been washed to a 
state of impassability teams have driven around the gully and estab- 
lished a new highway, or an overturned tree is avoided similarly. 
One road district in particular has secured fairly good roads partly 
through the energy of its supervisor, partly because additional con- 
tributions above the annual tax have been given by residents of the 
district, and partly because the district contains better road materials 
than some others. The iron-stained gravels of the- upland plateau 
should be used to a greater extent in surfacing its clay roads, but 
proper drainage and grading of most of the roads must precede any 
other work. 

CLIMATE. 

The following table of the climatic elements, compiled from the 
Maryland Weather Service, Vol. I, gives an indication of the average 
conditions to be expected in St. Mary County. No records for less 
than five years are considered, and consequently a few blanks remain 
in the table. 

Average climatic conditions of St. Mary County. 

CHARLOTTE HALL. 





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January 


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43 


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26 


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17 


66 


- 1 


2.8 


February - 


35 


44 


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24 


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20 


70 




3.2 


March 


45 


55 


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34 


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21 


83 


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April 


54 


65 


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43 


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22 


97 


25 


3.5 


May 


















95 


37 


3.9 


June 


73 


84 


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62 


+ 2 


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22 


100 


41 


:.'. 5 


July , 


76 


86 


+ 3 


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66 


+ 2 


- 4 


20 


102 


49 


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August 


76 


87 


+ 3 


- 4 


65 


+ 2 


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22 


99 


52 


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100 


40 


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66 
56 


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38 


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+ 6 


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30 
18 


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78 


23 
18 


3.7 


November 


2.1 


December _. 


38 


49 


+ 1 


- 3 


29 


+ 3 


- 2 


20 


70 


5 


2. 




















102 


- 1 


34.4 























The last killing frosts in the spring have occurred at Charlotte Hall on April 21, 1897, and on 
April 6, 1898. 

The first killing frosts in the fall have occurred at Charlotte Hall on November 13, 1897, with 
no record in 1898. 






SOIL SURVEY OF ST. MARY COUNTY, MD. 
Average climatic conditions of St. Mary County — Continued. 

CHERRYFIELDS. 



145 



Mouth. 



January . 
February 

March 

April 

May 

June 

July 

January . 
February 
March.... 

April 

May 

June 

July 

January . 
February 

March 

April 

May 

June 

July 



Mean 


Mean 1 


monthly 


monthly 


and 


and 


annual 


annual 


temper- 


precipi- 


ature. 


tation. 


° F. 


Inches. 


35 


1.9 


34 


3.5 


44 


3.3 


53 


3.0 


64 


4.3 


73 


2.7 


70 


6.0 



August 

September .. 

October 

November .. 
December... 

Annual 



ST. MARY. 



Mean 
monthly 

and 
annual 
temper- 
ature. 



56 



Mean 
monthly 

and 
annual 
precipi- 
tation. 

Inches. 

3.4 

o 2 

3.8 
3.2 
2.5 



35 
37 
43 
55 
62 
73 
76 




















August 

September 
October . .. 
November 
December . 



Annual 



ST. INIGOES. 



38 


2.5 


43 


4.1 


44 


4.9 


55 


4.2 


65 


4.3 


74 


2.1 


79 


3.7 | 



August'. 

September . . 

October 

November .. 
December 

Annual 



58 



6.5 
4.8 
3.7 
3.4 
3.4 



47.6 



11167—01- 



-10 



LIFE. 

Jay Allan Bonsteel was born in Huntington, West Virginia, on April 
13, 1873; removed to New York State in 1876; was educated in the 
common schools of that State; graduated from Ten Broeck Free Acad- 
emy, Franklinville, New York, in June, 1890, and in June, 1891, secured 
a State scholarship in Cornell University. Mr. Bonsteel was graduated 
from Cornell University in June, 1896, with the degree of Bachelor of 
Science, securing Special Mention for work in the Geological Depart- 
ment and holding the position of Assistant in Geology from September, 
1895, until June, 1898. During the summer of 1896 he accompanied the 
Cornell Greenland Expedition to the Upper Nugsuak Peninsula; was 
married in December of that year. From 1896 to 1898 a portion of his 
time was devoted to post-graduate work in the Geological Department 
of Cornell University. In July, 1898, he became connected with the 
Maryland Geological Survey and in September was matriculated at 
Johns Hopkins University. Mr. Bonsteel was appointed to a position 
in the United States Department of Agriculture, Bureau of Soils, on 
May 1, 1900, and has been employed upon field work for the Department, 
chiefly within the State of Maryland. 



SOIL MAP 

MARYLAND 

ST MARY CO- SHEET 



MARYLAND AGRICULTURAL 




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LIBRARY OF CONUKL&& 



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